Total’s discovery of South Africa’s first oil in deep water could prove to be a bonanza for a country lacking crude reserves of its own and prompt a rush from other majors. That’s if they’re able to solve the engineering challenges of operating in one of the fastest ocean currents in the world. The Brulpadda find, with reserves estimated at about 1 billion barrels of oil, is located in deep waters around 175 km from South Africa’s coastline. It could be enough to supply South Africa’s refineries for almost four years and be a major boost for the country’s struggling economy.
